


When We Were Young

by yelenabarnes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, BAMF Natasha, F/M, God of Mischief, Growing Up Together, Imaginary Friend, Kid Loki, Kid Natasha Romanov, Loki Does What He Wants, Romance, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24590821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yelenabarnes/pseuds/yelenabarnes
Summary: Growing up in the poorest region in Russia, Natasha had an imaginary best friend who made her world more magical. He was her only best friend, her partner in adventure and the best listener of her wildest dreams. He made her dreams come true. And as they grew older, he showed her what love was.His name was Loki. He was a Norse myth, the boy of trouble, just a part of her imagination.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Yelena Belova, Loki/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, Yelena Belova & Natasha Romanov
Comments: 16
Kudos: 152





	1. Chapter 1

Natasha stared up at her new kitten stuck on the high tree branch, her tiny arms outstretched to it as she cried out, "Please, please, Liho! You must come down! I'll catch you! I promise!"

The black kitten was stressed, edging closer warily as it meowed at her.

"Come down, Liho!" She urged desperately. This was her first pet and she had promised her parents that she would take care of it forever and ever. Feed it, hydrate it, wash it and pet it. But she had failed to keep an eye on it. As she'd lost it to a tree very far from the cabin house.

"Please, Liho," she cried, "Come down."

Liho meowed and stepped back, deciding against jumping off from such great height. 

The six-year-old redhead groaned and quickly looked around. She spotted a lot of sticks laid everywhere. And there was a very long one near the flowing river, just hiding between the tall grass. She quickly ran over to it and grabbed it from the ground. It was heavy and very lengthy in her small hands but she ran back with it confidently. Gesturing it to Liho to come down with it, but the stick was far from reaching the branch.

A very light mocking child-like laugh sounded and she looked around the green area in alert, lowering her stick. She frowned. "Who's there?" She raised her voice.

Silence. Nothing but the chirping of birds and the songs from bugs.

But Natasha did not turn back. Her eyes searching for the source of the laugh.

"You silly girl. That stick won't do anything for you," a boyish voice spoke and she shrieked, her head whipping around before her eyes landed on a boy.

She gasped.

The boy was on the top of the tree, standing nestled between the leaves and branches. He was leaning on the tree, staring at her with an easy smile while she shrieked out loud.

When her screaming was done, he cocked his head to the side, his silky ebony hair flowing with his head movement. "Are you finished, little girl?"

Natasha's jaw was hanging.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. Then he snickered and started climbing down the huge tree. She watched him between the branches as he lowered, the tree shaking as he did. He grabbed the kitten's body like it was nothing before he landed on the ground in an impossible leap from the great height. 

She was speechless. The boy came out of nowhere.

"Your pet," he said outstretching her kitten to her casually. Liho's middle region held like an object.

Natasha had let go of the stick and ran to fetch her kitten from his discomforting grip. She held Liho gently to her chest and stepped away from him, regarding him warily. He was much taller than her. He looked older. He was dressed in black and green, barefoot, with a golden crown with small horns cradling his black head. 

"You're welcome," he simpered.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"The Tree Climber," he answered flippantly.

"The Tree Climber?" Her lip curled. "There's no such."

"No such what?" He teased.

"Tell me your real name," she ordered.

"I saved your pet's life. You owe me _your_ name." He stepped closer to her and she stepped back with distrust.

"I am not supposed to talk to strangers."

"And yet here you are," he drawled, with hypnotic blue eyes glinting with something exciting and naughty.

She swallowed, very nervous while he was edging closer to her. "I am Natasha."

"Loki then," he bowed his head.

"Why do you talk like that?" She then asked. "Where are you from anyway?"

"I come from the trees, don't you pay attention?" The boy teased.

"There's no such. You are lying again." She caressed her kitten in her arms as she eyed him stubbornly. "I don't like liars."

"Take it or leave it." He smirked, his arms folded behind his back.

"I'm telling my mother you are climbing our trees," she snapped.

"Ooh," he cooed, "I'm scared. I didn't know this was your land."

"Where are your parents anyway? No one else lives here! Answer me, where do you come from?!"

"My parents are dead," he remarked with a mischievous smile.

She paused, her stubborn look fading into something soft.

"Feeling sorry for me?" He grinned.

"How old are you?" She asked carefully.

"One hundred and twenty," he answered nonchalantly.

She scowled. "You're a liar! Liar!" She yelled. "I hate liars! Stay away from me!"

He started laughing as she stormed away with her pet. 


	2. Chapter 2

Natasha's thick boots sounded on the wooden floorboard as she walked back in her home with Liho resting in her arms. She shut the front door and then stopped upon seeing her mother.

"Natasha, where have you been?" Her mother rushed to her, in her dirty apron, her face touched with flour. "You promised me you'd help me bake the cookies," she said disappointedly. "Where were you? I looked for you everywhere. I called your name outside repeatedly."

"I'm sorry, mama. I was just playing with Liho outside and—"

"I searched for you and you were not near, Natasha." The woman put her hands on her hips. "Did I not tell you to not go far from the house where I won't see you?" She rightfully scolded. "You stressed me out." She shook her head. "You have disappointed me today, young lady."

Natasha pouted and her green eyes lowered.

"Don't ever do that again. Do you understand me? You need to be in sight." Her mother huffed. "Now go to your room and rest. You have ballet lessons later in the hours."

Natasha quicky rushed passed her and ran upstairs with Liho.

  
She closed the door of her bedroom and carefully laid Liho on his small cat bed before she went to her own bed, grabbing her crayons and drawing book from her pink bedside table.

  
She started drawing the boy she met today. With the golden crown horns coloured in yellow crayon, his pants black and his shirt coloured in a green. He had nice black hair. She remembered his hair. Very silky and flowing. Very shiney.

She wondered where his home was. She wondered if she will see him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natasha knew not to go too far from the house, but her thirst for seeing the rest of the green that surrounded her needed to be quenched. She'll worry about her tutu and ballerina duties later. She took Liho along with her to the forest, knowing that her mother was busy in her bedroom with her typewriter. When her mother wrote, she'd forget about the rest of the world and even Natasha.

  
So she playfully ran into the forest, giggling all by herself. Liho meowed and she put the kitten down when she sat by the rocks near the river. She started throwing small stones in the flowing waters then later drew in the mud with a stick while Liho was playing with butterflies.

  
The forest was so beautiful and huge. There was a lot to explore and Natasha could not stop moving further and further away. She only stopped for blueberries. Gasping out loudly with joy as if it were candy. She started picking the berries before a hand enclosed around hers, ceasing her.

  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." the boy said.

She turned around to face the stranger nervously. "You're back..."

He smirked.

She then worriedly looked down at the berries. "What is wrong?" She asked.

"They're poison," he told her.

She frowned. "No they're not."

"Well I'm telling you they are."

"You're a liar!"

"Fine," he drawled, crossing his arms. "Die for all I care."

She contemptuously narrowed her eyes on him. "And how would you know they're poison?"

"I know." He smirked.

"No you don't. You haven't tried them," she taunted, "therefore you're a liar."

He looked down at her like she was being ridiculous. "It's poisonous, you silly girl." He sneered.

"Let's see then." She gestured her open palm with the berries to him. "You eat them."

He scowled.

"And we will see if they're poison."

He grabbed the berries. "How about I feed your pet?" He neared the kitten. He snickered when she turned her pet away from his hand. He scowled at her when she glared at him. "Why don't you eat the berries? You are the one who wants to see if they are truly a poison." He smiled deviously. "Eat. And let me watch you choke."

She knocked his hand away from her in a harsh swat and kicked his shin. He cried in pain.

She looked at him angrily.

He straightened back up giving her a dark look. "That was very rude of you," he said.

"What are you going to do?" She sneered.

He smirked. "You're lucky you're a girl." He stepped closer and she remained in her position with her chin raised up. She did slightly flinch when his hand reached beside her to grab some berries and she watched with widening eyes as the berries in his hand went to his mouth. Her hand struck out to swat the berries from his hand but he caught her hand in a strong grip. The berries going in his mouth. He chewed slowly as his devious icy blue eyes watched her.

She gasped. "You're going to die!"

He chuckled and swallowed the sweet juices, shaking his head. "I'm immortal. I can't die. I'm one hundred and twenty years old in Aesir years."

"You lie!" She stared at him in disbelief.

"You keep accusing me of that, I might as well not even speak at all." He then looked at her seriously. "Just believe me, Natasha. I am what I say I am."

She stared at him carefully. What if he was telling the truth? What if he was unable to die?

"What's an Aesir?" She asked curiously.

"A species," he answered.

She frowned, her six-year-old mind very much confused.

"In human years, I guess I must be nine years old."

She just gawked at him.

He smiled. "Do you want to go on to those mountains?"

She blinked and her eyes followed his pointing to the green tall mountains that seemed to reach the skies. They were so large and heavenly that it made her excited.

She looked back at him. "You've been there?"

"I've been everywhere."

"How do you get there? Isn't it far?"

He laughed at her. And she didn't take him laughing in her face very well, scowling. He mocked, "You think we'd walk there?"

"How else would we get there?"

He shrugged. "Just ask to go there. You'll see."

"Ask?"

"I'll take you there."

She frowned. "You lie."

He scoffed, his silky hair flowing down as he dropped his head in his chuckling. He then looked back at her. "You amuse me, mortal."

"My name is Natasha," she said defensively.

"I'll take you to those mountains if you just ask. We will be there in no more than a millisecond."

She swallowed.

"So ask."

"Fine," she snapped. "Will you take me to the mountains?" In a blinding impossible pace, their scene transitioned. And they were standing in a field of tall grass, the warm sun kissing their skin.

There were white tufts floating in the air. The wind softly blew his beautiful hair as it toyed with her deep red curls.

She quickly put Liho down next to his feet and ran off freely with her arms spread. She couldn't contain herself at all. Jumping in excitement. "We're on a mountain!!" She sang as she crazily ran.

She stopped and looked around. There was a flying dragon fly and she chased it. Orange Monarch butterflies flew passed her and circled around her. She giggled and spun with them, spinning around with joy.

Loki smiled as he watched her, stroking the black kitten in his hand. He felt her happiness. He even caught himself giggling with her.

His grin widened when she ran back to him with her pretty curls bouncing in the air. She surprised him when she covered him with a hug. Liho meowing between the embrace. Loki stood there awkwardly, his eyes wide.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She closed her eyes in the hug.

Loki had to ruin the moment — he pried from her embrace as he choked and started hyperventilating. He handed her kitten back to her so that he pounded on his chest desperately.

Natasha dropped Liho as she watched in fear as Loki choked and struggled to breathe. He fell down and she rushed to him, "Loki!" She knelt down to his side.

"It's... the... berries!" He was able to speak through short breaths.

She gasped.

"I'm... dying!"

"Don't say that!" She cried.

Natasha's eyes were wide, helplessly in shock, watching him in his last breath and his eyes shut closed.

She poked him, tears weighing in her eyes. "Lo-Loki?"

She then flinched releasing a piercing shriek when he jerked back to life with merry laughter. He sat up laughing in her face. "You should've seen the look on your face! Ha!"

She quickly grew angrily and started hitting him. He blocked her hits as she continuously beat him. She then ended with a shove to his shoulder. She stood up. "You're not funny!"

"I tricked you!" He said in victory.

She walked away and crossed her arms.

He stared at her back. "Natasha."

"That wasn't funny."

He sighed. "Well... one of us did laugh." He stopped beside her. He looked at her and saw the tears she was attempting to hide. His face softened solemnly, realizing that he terrified her. "Forgive me," he said earnestly.

She hit him with another unexpected hug to his side and she clutched onto him. "Don't ever do that again, Loki."

He let his arm wrap around her as he hugged her back.

"Promise?"

He smiled softly. "I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

"Natasha, stand still," her mother scolded, fixing the torn piece of her pink glittering dress. She was trying to thread it closed, taking out the pin from between her teeth to sew. 

"Mama, I'm hungry," Natasha whined, continously fidgeting. 

"You'll have your breakfast. Don't you want me to fix this dress your father brought you?"

Natasha tipped her head sideways as she looked at herself in the mirror. She saw Loki in the mirror, he was leaning against the frame of the door behind. Her smile broadened and he smiled back at her in the mirror.

"Okay, Natasha." Her mother stood up and moved aside so that her daughter looked at herself properly in the mirror. "What do you think?"

Natasha lifted the skirt of the dress and twirled around.

"You look like a real princess," Loki said smirking.

"I'm so pretty!" Natasha blushed as she looked at her reflection. 

"That's because you are my daughter." Her mother grinned, adorned in a cream white one-shouldered gown. She pecked her daughter's forehead affectionately. "Now we must go. Before we're late for your aunt's wedding, hm?"

"Can Loki come to the wedding too?" Natasha's eyes lit up.

Her mother scooped her up and carried her on her hip. "I don't know. Where is Loki?"

"There, mama!" Natasha pointed at him. "He's right there!"

Her mother looked and saw nothing. But she pretended otherwise, kissing her cheek. "Of course he's allowed to come, sweetie pie."  
  
  
  
  


"Mama, I'm hungry," Natasha whined as they went into the old van of the farm garage. Her mother fastened her seatbelt for her at the backseat as Natasha continued, "You said I will have breakfast." 

"And I didn't lie, honey." Her mother took out a guava bar from her handbag and Natasha's eyes lit up. "Here you go, okay?"

"A fruit bar!" Natasha squealed and was already tearing the wrapper open. Her mother closed the van door and went in her driver's seat to start the struggling engine. Usually it took a while until the vehicle started running but the van never failed on starting.  
  
  
  


Loki was looking out the window, seated next to Natasha, watching the endless passing trees and the sunlight rays between them.

Natasha chewed her lunch bar beside him. She looked at him and gestured the bar to him, asking, "You want some?"

He leaned his head off the window and looked at her. "No thank you."

She shrugged and finished the last piece.

He smirked in amusement, watching her chew. "You love food an awful lot."

She nodded enthusiastically and he giggled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Natasha played with Loki in the large green yard after the wedding service. Giggles and laughters of joy sounded in the fresh air as they chased each other around, playing Tag. She ran between the guests, dodging Loki and slickly escaping his attempts to tag her. 

She shrieked when she saw him close behind her as they ran towards the open space, his hand an inch from touching her but then he tripped over and fell.

Natasha stopped and hopped her way back to him, laughing. He turned onto his back and stared up the sky. "We're done with the game. You win, Natasha."

She put her hands on her hips. "You give up so easily, Loki. But I take the win." She went down to lay beside him, looking up the sky as he was. 

"What a boring ceremony it was to watch," he said grumpily.

"I love weddings. Aunt Tatiana looked like a princess!" 

The corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile and he looked at her. "You look like the princess," he said, "not her."

She smiled coyly looking back at him. 

He sighed and looked back up the clear sky.

" _Aunt Tatiana and Nikolas sitting on the tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes babies, then comes..._ " Natasha trailed off, her grinning falling, as she was confused to how the song ended.

Loki laughed at her. "Then comes divorce."

She blinked innocently. "What's divorce?"

"When they leave each other," he said with a smirk.

She giggled. "Don't be so stupid. They love each other! Love is so pretty! I can't wait to also fall in love like Aunt Tatiana and Nikolas," she said with a dreamy face, hugging her chest. "Love must be the most beautiful thing."

Loki stared at her in slight disgust.

She sighed in bliss.

"Say if the love were not reciprocated then," he started.

"What is risipocated?" 

He laughed at her innocence and shook his head. "It is 'reciprocated'. And I meant what if someone does not love you back, then what?"

"Oh." She smiled, still lighthearted. "Then you take them and make them fall in love with you."

He snorted. "Is that not kidnapping?"

She frowned. "What is kidnapping?'

He sighed and sat up. "I don't like love. It's strange. It looks ugly," he remarked standing up. He took her hand to help her stand.

She pouted. "Well I don't agree."

"And I do not care." He scoffed. "Do you want to play another game or not?"

"Tag!" She touched his shoulder and quickly ran off to be chased.  
  


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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  


"Don't your parents wonder where you've run off to, Loki?" She asked getting into bed while he went under the blankets she laid for him on the mat right across her bed.

"They don't worry about me. Because I used magic to make them believe I'm still at home, reading," he spoke with a self-satisfied smile.

She sat leaning against the pillows. "I wonder why you lied to me when we met, about your parents being dead."

He shrugged.

"Where are you from?" She asked softly, playing with the loose threads of her blanket. "Don't lie to me."

He stared at her seriously. "I am from above the trees."

She blinked.

He shrugged.

"Which one is it? Are you from the trees or are you from above the trees?" She asked.

"That is for you to decide."

She stared at him in confusion, then her eyes averted to her mother entering in her bedroom. "Natasha..." Her mother sighed at the makeshift bed on the floor.

"Mama!" Natasha shot up straighter, her yell making her mother flinch and stop from walking passed the mat. "You're going to step on Loki!"

Her mother stepped back and she stared at her daughter in concern. "Sweetheart, Loki is... " She let out a sigh. "He is part of your imagination. He does not exist..."

Natasha frowned. "Yes he does. He is right there." She pointed but her mother still saw nothing. "But, mama, you saw him that morning!"

"Oh, honey." Her mother came to her and tucked her in the bed blankets. "It's okay. Just go to sleep."

"But..."

"Shhhh," her mother shushed and pecked her forehead. "It's okay."

Natasha pouted. 

"Your father told me to tell you that he loves you. He just called now. He's so busy with work, very busy, but hopefully next time you get to chat with him." She smiled and tipped her daughter's chin up. "He won't come soon but it is an important message to hold onto. Okay, sweetpie?"

Natasha nodded weakly and earned a hug from her mother. 

"Goodnight, Natasha."

"Goodnight, mama."  
  


Once she closed the door on her way out, Loki looked back at Natasha who immediately smiled at him.

"I had a dream about snow. It has been a long time since it has snowed," she said to him. "What's your favourite weather, Loki?"

He cocked his head. "The cold."

"I think I like the summer more. But I do miss the snow." She hugged her teddy bear to herself and smiled.

He sat on his knees, and she watched him intently as he stared back at her with a flourish of his hand. She blinked when suddenly there were white flakes raining down in her bedroom. She gasped. "It's snowing!" Her eyes lit up, the way they always did from excitement. She stretched her hand out so the snow fell into her palm. "It's snowing!" 

He stared at her tenderly, and smiled. Making her happy was the best thing he could do. The sound of her giggles made him feel an absolute joy.


	4. Chapter 4

Nine year old Natasha had gotten grumpy over the years from the absence of her father and being ignored by her absent-minded mother who was struggling with her next novel.

This made Loki her greatest company as he stimulated her mind and spirits from absolute boredom when she didn't have her ballet lessons. He was an irritating mischief most of the time but she couldn't imagine a day without his presence.

"I want to play," he complained impatiently. He tossed aside her dirty rag doll after scowling at it.

"Go away, I'm busy," Natasha told him, busy with her homework.

"With what exactly? Thirteen multiplied by twenty six gives you three hundred and thirty eight. This stuff is too easy to waste your time on."

She turned on her swivel chair of the desk side to look at him. "Then what is twenty plus fifteen?"

He sat up and stared at her ridiculously, before laughing at her.

She scowled.

"You don't know what fifteen added to twenty is? What do they teach you there?" He frowned, then grinned. "Or are you just that slow?"

Something always sparked in her when her intelligence was teased or even made fun of. She grabbed the glass from the desk and meant to splash the water on him but it instead splashed onto her book which was behind her. It didn't make sense but with his magic anything did. She widened her eyes and turned to her soaked book.

Loki stood up immediately.

She glared back at him with a laser glare.

"That was meant for your face," he said anxiously before she stood up to charge for him.

  
Her mother was busy with her typewriter in the kitchen when she heard Natasha's angry screaming following downstairs, chasing after someone who wasn't even visible.

"Natasha!" She snapped, stopping her enraged daughter. "What is wrong with you?! Calm down now!"

"Loki soaked my homework, mama!" She cried.

Her mother took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. "Honey, Loki is not real, please. Just take responsibility for your own actions. It's alright. We can dry the pages with your hairdryer. Okay? No reason to be screaming in my goddamm house like a savage," she spoke calmly with a piercing look. "Now go to your room."

Natasha groaned and sharply spun around, stomping her way upstairs. "I hate school anyway!!"

  
"May I join you?" Was Loki's apologetic voice.

She was seated on the grass, stroking her grown cat Liho on her lap, watching the sunset. She frowned up at Loki, pouting."You were teasing me. I don't like it when you're mean like that."

"I promise I won't be mean again. I am sorry." He slowly sat beside her and stared at her earnestly. "Forgive me."

"Sure!" She gave him an adorable grin, that quick to forget. Her face was beaming again.

He smiled at her. "Can we be friends again?"

"Who said we stopped being friends, silly?" She giggled and his smile widened when she laid her head on his shoulder.

He giggled and sighed in relief.

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He came over to approach her when she was alone in the green the next morning , plucking out red Paeonia Tenuifolia flowers that had blossomed near the river waters. He stopped beside her. He asked curiously, "Why not leave them where they were born and enjoy their beauty from there?"

She looked up at him after plucking the last. "Because they are mine now." She stood up.

He cocked his head. "How unlucky they are now."

She frowned. "They are for my bedroom."

He snorted. "And I thought they were especially for me."

"You're not special," she sneered.

"Of course I am."

"Special only in your dreams then," she teased and turned around. She let out a shriek of surprise from seeing Loki again before she was falling backwards into the shallow river.

He laughed.

She gasped. Completely drenched. She sat up in the waters and dropped her jaw. She let out a scream of embarrassment and anger. Her flowers lost in the flow of the waters.

The Loki who was the reason of her sudden fright was smirking at her in amusement while the other Loki walked over to him and leaned his arm on his shoulder. "Natasha, I'd like you to meet my other self. I crafted him just a day ago." He proudly looked at Loki. "Lovely, isn't he?"

"Greetings, firehead," the second Loki smugly bowed his head to her.

"I'm going to kill you, Loki!" She stood up, the waters flowing out of her clothes as her angry stare pierced his way.

"Which one of us?" Was his last remarked before she charged for both of them.

  
"Have you ever wanted to be a plane? Or a bird? And just fly all the time?" Natasha stared up the clear blue skies with a dreamy face. "I want to be weightless in the air, just floating."

He stared at her with a soft smile. "Interesting."

"Interesting?" She looked at him.

"It is magical, the feelings you have for flying without ever having flown before."

Her smile broadened. "Maybe in my recent life I was a bird. Or a butterfly."

"You'd definitely strike me as a gentle creature."

They were sitting right on the edge of the mountain, their small legs dangling in the air. Her clothes and hair were drying under the warm sun. When Natasha looked below them on the high mountain, she never felt scared. The great height should induce a lot of fear in her but it didn't, as Loki made her feel safe.

"What animal would you be?" She asked innocently.

He smirked. "A snake."

She gave him a judgement look. Her nose scrunched up. "Ewww."

"What?" He grinned.

"Snakes are gross!"

"And so are you," he teased.

She pouted and scowled all at once. "No, you are gross."

He took her hand unexpectedly. "Birds have tiny brains and butterflies are just ugly bugs with colourful wings."

She opened her mouth to say something against snakes but then he pulled her along with him when he jumped off the mountain.

It was like he liked hearing her scream all the time. From frightening her, to playing tricks on her, to angering her so much that she'd scream to herself.

She was screaming her lungs out as they free-fell in the air, and her eyes were getting bigger as the harsh ground was getting nearer in her vision. She screwed her eyes shut and waited for the painful collision but nothing came.

"Natasha..." she heard Loki.

The rush of the wind around her had cancelled, she didn't feel like her body was falling anymore.

"Open your eyes," he said. He was still holding her hand. "It's alright."

She reluctantly opened one eye first, and she gasped. She now clutched onto him and they flew right into a puffy cloud. "Loki!"

He was smiling, his arm holding her as she buried her face to his neck.

"Everything is fine, Natasha. I assure you, I won't dare let you go."

She gulped, peeking from his neck.

His smile widened.

She let herself look. And she was breathless, rendered speechless.

"Now you can fly," he told her gently.

They were moving in the skies passed clouds and flying birds. She could see Sviyazhsk, her rural town, in a bird's view. The endless green a refreshing beauty in her eyes, and the pretty small cottage homes that barely even took an eighth of the large land. They flew across the land and Natasha felt Loki lowering them as they reached the ocean. She gulped, a little scared, but still felt as if she were in a dream-like state. And maybe she was.

Loki stared at Natasha with a small smile when she threw hesitation out the window and ran her hand through the ocean waters as they flew above sea level.

She quickly withdrew her hand when dolphins appeared out of the waters and leaped.

Loki laughed and she joined in his joyful laughter.

Their flying went back up high in the skies and they went back to land, to her home, where he dropped her off.

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"Natasha. Please. My goodness. Just eat your food," her mother begged.

Her arms were tightly crossed, her face grumpy and her mood very bad while she looked at her father's filled dish. "No," she stubbornly replied, "I only eat until papa is here! He promised he will come home. Why isn't he home?"

Her mother's red hair was going through it's own stress as well with her crazed look. She rubbed her temples. "I swear that you are becoming more difficult as you grow older. You must understand, my little ballerina, his work—"

"Then why did he promise?" Natasha snapped. "He said he will come on Saturday. Today is Saturday!"

"Baby, I know. I know." She sighed. "But if he can't come, he can't come. Understand that he is doing what he needs to for us. So that one day he will come here and stay with us forever. Then we won't have any more money problems. Please, sweetheart. Understand this is all happening for a better future. Or, maybe better, we'll move to his place. Hmm?" She reached over to stroke her cheek but she pulled back with a scowl.

She yelled, "I don't want to go to America!"

Her mother sighed. "Well..." She frowned when Natasha pushed her chair back. "Natasha, where are you going now?" She huffed and dropped her face into her palm when her daughter ran upstairs to her bedroom, the slamming of her door almost shaking the entire house down. "Bozhe moi," she groaned.

"Are you alright?" Loki asked at her last turn in her bed. He was on her bed, laid beside her. She stared at his shadow in the dark.

"I'm fine," she assured weakly.

"Liar," he said playfully.

She smiled.

"I'm bored."

"And I'm tired. So go."

"No. I'll leave as I please, Natasha. What is wrong? Is it your father again?"

She sighed, closing her eyes. She spoke, "He is supposed to come back home this weekend. But he broke his promise." 

"I understand," he said, "I have parents who break their own promises as well."

"I hate that," she said angrily. "It is as bad as lying to someone's face!"

"Do not worry yourself, Natasha."

She huffed.

"You wish to see your father?"

She frowned.

"Then close your eyes," he told her.

"What? Then what?"

"Just close your eyes and go to sleep."

"Will you go?" She asked softly.

"Sleep, Natasha. I promise you everything will go well," he gently assured her.

"Fine. I trust you, Loki." She closed her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Her mother was pacing around the kitchen putting the dishes from the sink in their right places while Natasha watched her, chewing her cereal. Her pretty smile was bright as the sun as she was swinging her legs on her seat. She was far from the mood she was in last night. She almost couldn't contain her joy, almost bursting it all out.

Her mother wiped the kitchen sink with the cloth as final task before she dropped on the seat across from hers, huffing. 

"Mama, you didn't greet me yet!" Natasha sang in thrill. 

She looked at Natasha tiredly before a small smile etched on her face. "Good morning, sweetheart." She tipped her head to the side. "You seem very happy this morning." 

"I had a dream!" Her grin widened. "About papa! He came home one afternoon and told us to start packing, it felt so real, mama. As if he was really here."

Her mother stared at her tenderly. "Oh baby."

"We left home to go and stay with him." She put her chin on her palm, her face the cutest. "I miss him so much."

"I miss him too. Come on here. I want to hug you."

Natasha slipped off the chair to go and be covered in her mother's warmth. She closed her eyes with a spread smile on her face. 

"I love you so much."

"I love you too, mama. And papa too. I think he is coming."

Her mother sighed and broke the hug. She stroke her hair and pecked her forehead. "He is busy, my sweet. Do not worry yourself about that."

Natasha remained smiling.

Her mother stood. "Now," she exhaled tiredly, "I must go on with chapter twenty five." She began to leave.

"But aren't you having breakfast?"

She smiled. "No. I have to work. But thanks for asking, baby." She left the kitchen and Natasha watched her climb upstairs. She felt Loki behind her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, leaning to her soft red curly hair.

She turned around. "Do you want to play outside?"

He smiled as she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the small house without giving him a chance to respond, and they ran in the green yards.

  
They spend time together for hours, tirelessly in each other's presence.

  
"What's your worst fear? I'm afraid of spiders," Natasha began, mindlessly picking the grass they sat on.

"I have no fear," he said with pride.

She stared at him in disbelief. "You're lying."

He frowned. "Why won't you believe me?"

"Because everyone is afraid of something."

He shrugged. "Perhaps I'm not everyone."

She dropped her jaw. 

He grinned.

"Lies."

He snorted.

"Stop it, Loki. Just tell me. I told you I'm scared of spiders."

"And I told you I fear nothing." He gave her a smug look prompting her to throw the grass in her hand to his face.

He brushed the grass off his face and Natasha laughed a little.

"You are simply jealous that I am not like you. I am fearless and you are far from it," he teased.

She glared at him. He stuck his tongue out at her and she almost screamed.   
"I am also fearless!" She snapped.

"And what of these Earth arachnids you speak of then?" He scoffed. "Scared little girl."

"I lied." She raised her chin up. "I'm not scared of anything."

"So you are like me then?" He arched an eyebrow.

"I am not like you." She crossed her arms. "I am better than you."

"So you are more fearless then," he drawled.

"Yes!" She answered aggressively, making him laugh then he conjured up a huge hairy spider in his palm that had her screaming and running away. She ran to a tree and hid behind it.

Loki shook his head in amusement. He called her, "Natasha! Come back here!" He saw her sneak a look from behind the tree and he smiled. "I thought you were more fearless than I!"

She scowled, angry at herself for being a scaredy cat. 

"Hi," Loki greeted her appearing out of thin air and she jolted in surprise. He cocked his head at her, and she just knew it was Loki's clone. "I am nicer, worry not, Natasha."

She saw that his hand was hidden behind his back and she knew exactly what he was hiding. She gulped but still raised her chin up. "You want to scare me."

"Like I said, I am much nicer than him. I want to help you," he spoke earnestly.

"I don't trust any of you two. You are the same person. I'm not stupid," she sneered.

He smirked. "Of course, but I still aim to help you remove your fear of spiders."

"I'm not scared of anything!"

"Alright," he responded casually and removed his hand from behind his back.

Her eyes widened and she pressed her back to the tree behind her. "Lo-Loki..."

"If you touch it, I promise you something beautiful will happen." He gave her an encouraging nod.

"What if you're lying?" 

"Trust me. After this you will never fear spiders again."

His tone was warm. She didn't know why she always trusted him, why she felt confident around him. She trusted him, and he saw that as she locked eyes with him while her shaky hand neared the spider. 

With a tip of her finger, she gave it a single stroke, then another stroke, her eyes tearing from his to look at the hairy spider. She gave it one last reluctant touch before the spider transitioned into this purple small butterfly. 

She gasped.

It flew in the air, then it shone in silver before splitting into five different colourful butterflies. 

She squealed. "Pretty!"

Loki grinned.

The original Loki approached and he neared his clone before fully merging with him. They were one again. 

Natasha frowned upon a realization. "I'm not afraid of spiders anymore. In fact I think I like them!" She grinned in wonder. "I think I like spiders!"

He bowed his head to her. "You're welcome."

Something caught her eye. It was a green car parking near the house. Natasha frowned. It looked like a taxi. She squinted her eyes, walking away to get a closer look.

Her father was getting out of the car. 

Natasha gasped.

And the first thing she did was look at Loki. He gave her a fond smile and he effortlessly caught her when she jumped on him with a hug. 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" She sang in happiness.

His eyes fluttered closed in the embrace. She stared at him fondly and leaned in to peck his cheek, making his eyes fly open in surprise. She left him flustered when she ran to her father. He stared after her with a blush.

  
"Papa!!" Natasha screamed and her father caught her in his arms. 

"Natasha! My darling!"

She hugged him tightly and closed her eyes. He smelled of pine and wood. She almost cried. 

She looked at the man and cupped his face, her small thumbs wiping his tears away while tears of her own streamed down her cheeks. "I missed you, papa," she whimpered.

"It's alright, my darling. I am here. And you will stay with me forever." He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead many times. "My sweet Natasha," he spoke gently as he caressed her pretty hair. "You're my family. And families should not be apart. I promise I will never be apart from you. You and your mother."

Natasha's mother had her hand on her chest as she watched them with love, her lips pulled up in a big smile. "We're moving to America, Natasha. We need to start packing."


	6. Chapter 6

"I look like a fool."

"Natasha, stop it. You're gorgeous," her mother grumpily replied, zipping up the back of her green halter ball gown for the upcoming prom.

"Someone's gonna wind up asking me how I escaped a Disney film," seventeen year old Natasha sneered at her reflection.

"Natasha, come on now," her father began with a bright grin, "No one is going to think that, _moya milaya_. They will be too blinded by your beauty to even think a single thought."

She chuckled.

Her mother sighed and rubbed her shoulders for her. She looked at her daughter in the mirror. "We just need to get rid of your caveman look," she said pulling her wild curls back into a high ponytail. "We can straighten your hair if you will like."

"Please tell her not to," Loki had casually sauntered in out of nowhere. Arrogantly leaning against the wall beside her father.

They locked eyes in the mirror and she gave him a small smile before saying to her mother, "I don't mind straightening my hair actually."

Loki smirked and shook his head.

Her father scratched his beard. "I'm not sure. You will still make a beautiful Queen even with those curls, my darling."

"Listen to your father, Natasha," Loki remarked. "Though he isn't completely correct, as you are already a Queen." He winked at her.

Prom was coming too soon and she already imagined becoming Homecoming Queen.

"Either way," Natasha spoke more seriously to her reflection, "I want to win. I want that crown."

"Good. A collection to your many trophies then." Her mother pecked her head.

The only trophies Natasha had were from ballet and a few from academic achievements. She took pride in everything she was awarded. She spun and stared at Loki after her parents walked out. "What do you think? How do I look?"

"My opinion doesn't matter, remember? Go ahead and be rid of those beautiful curls of yours."

"Come here, Loki." She grasped his hand.  
  
  
  


Natasha stared at Loki laid beside her on her bed. He was staring up the ceiling as they were sharing her earphones. She hadn't taken her prom gown or her converse sneakers off on her bed. Her wild curls untamed and spilled on the white pillow.

One earphone bud was in his ear and the other one in hers. Music beating softly in their ears.

"I've gotten too old for this, you know. This imaginary friend thing..." she murmued more to herself behind her fingers. She bit her bottom lip staring at him in interest, and told him, "You know you share the same name of a Norse God? And he sounds just like you. Difference is he's passed his teenhood."

His black brows creased and he tilted his head to look at her. His arms remained crossed under his head. "Is that so?"

She nodded.

The corner of his mouth slightly quirked up. "And what else did you find?"

"Loki's wife is Sigyn, Goddess of Victory. He sounds... scary and evil. He can shapeshift and his symbol is a snake," she said softly, her finger tracing the intricate snake engraved on the golden side of his suit. "I must be going insane."

He smirked. "Sigyn."

Her eyes averted back to his face.

"I know her. She is a beautiful girl."

Natasha frowned and rose her upper body, putting her chin in her palm. "You're a myth."

He chuckled.

"A part of my imagination," she added.

"Is that what you wish?" He lifted an eyebrow.

She stared at him intently.

He stared back and tipped his head to the side, making his ebony locks fall a little over his eye. She moved his hair back and he remained staring at her.

"What is this music?" He asked.

She withdrew her hand. "Trip hop. A very rare type of genre."

"It doesn't make me want to scratch my ears out."

She giggled. "They're group called Massive Attack."

"Interesting."

"What is?"

"You have taste," he stated in his silky voice.

She snorted. "Of course I do."

He laughed and took the earbud out.

She cracked a smile and laid onto her back as he did, staring up at her baby blue bedroom ceiling. The sides of their bodies flushed together.

"Don't you miss the green and the scent of fresh soil and... fresh air?" She asked in a very soothing voice.

"You ask me that as if I reside in your world," he replied back softly.

"My bad. I guess I should be asking if you miss our... childhood together... back in Sviyazhsk."

A smile small etched on his face. "I remember."

"I hate the city. The chaos. The grimy smell in the air." She scrunched up her nose and his smile widened.  
Looking at his face, she just knew he was going to pull something off.

Natasha giggled and palmed her eyes when Loki changed everything around them.

They weren't in New York anymore. They were back home. In Sviyazhsk. Surrounded by deep green.

Natasha rose up from the bed and took in a shaky breath, looking around. The green felt like it hugged her, overwhelming her so much she felt lightheaded.

The trees rustled and swayed slightly in the wind. The sun kissed her in a familiar warmth.

There was the river that Natasha remembered. And the tree which she first met Loki.

The sky was clear and blue. She remembered flying with Loki for the first time.

She dropped her back onto her bed and stared up the sky. Her eyes carrying a thin layer of tears. She felt a rush of nostalgia and melancholy. She tilted her body to face Loki and Loki tilted his head to her.

She stared at him with a delighted smile.

"No more grimy air," he remarked.

She bit her lip and graciously arched an eyebrow. "Do you want to play or what?"

He chuckled when she rose up and dragged him off the bed with her.

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"What if your leg twisted, Natasha? Wouldn't that just be the most epic thing? No more ballet anymore," Yelena kept taunting her as they did their routine warm up in their class.

"One of your wet dreams, bitch?" Natasha coolly responded and earned a chuckle from her.

"You wouldn't believe," the blonde slowly remarked as she stretched out her leg and lowered as her ballet peers did. "No really, which dance college are you going to?"

"Haven't decided yet, stop asking," Natasha replied turning around to face her after her stretches.

Yelena narrowed her eyes on her school arch nemesis. "It's very important to know if I'm going to a better school than you, Natasha."

"You sure it's not because you want to go to the same school as me? I know you don't want to miss me so much—"

She scoffed. "Kiss my ass, Romanov."

"You can kiss mine."  
  
  
  
  
  


"You going to the School Dance or what?" She asked Yelena after their ballet practice was finished. They walked together heading out the school premises passing the football field.

"Why? So I can laugh at your potentially awful dress?"

Natasha gave her a sardonic look then a middle finger which was knocked by Yelena's hand.

"Yes. I'm going to the Dance. I'm going to be crowned Queen. Duh," she stated. "And I see you straightened your hair today."

Natasha touched her bun. "Yeah?"

"You look less hideous with your hair straight. Is it for a boy?"

"Fuck you." She shoved her.

"Are you in love, Natasha?"

"Why would I be in love?" She scowled.

Yelena shrugged.

"Love is for babies," Natasha drawled.

"Love is for weirdos. Basically sore losers who put someone else besides themselves first."

They both jumped when a ball came bouncing down near them.  
"What the hell?" Yelena sharply breathed out, angry that she was almost hit.

Bucky Barnes ran towards them from the football field. He was sweaty and Natasha wasn't sure to be disgusted or actually attracted by that.  
"Hey," he greeted them, panting, coming to collect his ball.

The girls watched him attentively.

Natasha didn't greet him back. Yelena did, but rudely, "Hi, asshole. We almost got hit by the damn ball."

"Yelena. Yeah, I'm sorry. That would've been embarrassing for you." He chuckled, holding the ball with both hands. He stared at Natasha. "You straightened your hair." He pointed.

Natasha quirked an eyebrow at him. "Do you even remember my name?"

He let out a chuckle. "Natasha. Yeah. You're in my History class. You're hard to miss."

"I'm surprised you even notice her," Yelena remarked.

"I'm surprised I even notice you," Bucky responded back and Natasha laughed. Yelena cut her with a glare.

"You both look great in tights by the way," he said and leaned close to Yelena to kiss her cheek, making her face melt into a winsome smile.

They both watched him walk away.

"Look at his toned arms, Natasha..."

"Oh I'm looking..."

Yelena turned back to her.

"And he's mine," Natasha added confidently.

Yelena scowled. "No way. He's mine."

"Dibs! See, I called dibs first."

"Oh please! Either way I'm becoming Homecoming Queen."

"Oh, Yelena. I am totally getting that crown."


	7. Chapter 7

She watched the hairy arachnid scurrying on the little plant inside the glass cage to feast on the bug that was just thrown in by the pet store worker. She watched the spider eat it's dinner up. "So cute," she pouted. 

The boy whose tag name was Steve closed the lid of the cage and smiled at her. "You want him?"

She averted her eyes to him and straightened from her slight crouch. "Show me a female spider," she demanded. 

"What kind? Tarantulas are easier to maintain. We can pack up a little buddy for you if you want." Steve cocked his head at her gently when her eyes wandered around. "Uh. You know, I realize that you go to my school. I recognize you."

Her eyes landed back on him and she frowned. 

"We're, ah, in the same grade..." 

She raised an eyebrow at him. He rubbed the back of his neck, hesitant to continue his awful attempt at small talk.

"Bucky works here?" She asked with a sort of innocent grin, tossing the awkward shortlived tension. That was who she came here for anyway. "I'd rather have him to assist me."

Steve's smile minimised. "See, that can't happen. Bucky's not good with spiders." 

She gave him an unhappy look.

"Natasha, you are giving the poor boy a heartbreak here," a velvety voice came in with a playful familiar graciousness to it, making a tremor run up her spine. She almost jumped. She looked at Loki, which was basically looking at nothing to the normal eyes around. The stupid imaginary dark-haired boy had this satisfied smile on his face, arrogantly leaning his arm on the glass cage. "He quite fancies you there." He smirked. 

Steve stared at Natasha more fondly, not concerned by her alarmed staring into nothing. "Um, look—"

She looked back to him.

"—you can come back tomorrow," Steve continued, "and I'll have your chosen pet all packed and ready." He tried a bright smile. 

Natasha rudely walked away in response. Loki followed her to the exit as she quietly snapped at him, "What are you doing in public? Trying to make me out as a fool in front of people?!"

"He is still staring at you right now as we speak. And this surely must be true love because the puppy stare remains on his face despite the fact that you are talking to absolutely nothing."

"Shut up, Loki! Dammit!" She hissed.

Loki chuckled. "It seems as if I have competition here."

His words didn't register to her because Bucky approached the glass door the time she was just pushing it open. She stepped back and smiled deviously.

"You," Bucky addressed her with a large grin.

"I want a pet spider. Help me?" She blinked innocently. 

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"I bet you'd just make the perfect Homecoming Queen, and I might even be King," Loki mocked Bucky's words imitating a terrible Brooklyn accent.

Natasha tried not to laugh because she didn't want to feed his theatrics. "You're embarrassing."

"How embarrassing he was handling the spider. His slight shivers should not be appealing to you at all."

"I don't care." She was holding the spider cage in her hand as they walked the pathway through hovering giant green trees to her home apartment. It was getting darker. There was no one around the park right now so she freely scolded at Loki, "And you need to stop making appearances to me in public, Loki!"

"I do what I want," he dismissed her. 

"In that case we won't have any boundaries. You can't keep showing up unexpected. It's rude and inconsiderate."

"Rude as you storming off from Steve without so much as a gentle goodbye?" 

She wanted to wipe off that arrogant smile from his face. Her death stare simply reminded him just how adorable she was. 

"Whatever. You have no right making fun of me when your love story with Sigyn is the sappiest shit I have ever read online."

He smirked. "I'd say you know too much about me and Sigyn than I ever will."

"Oh shut up." She shoved his side.

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"I asked Bucky out to prom. And he said he will think about it."

Yelena gave her a silly smile.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world, Nat. Like I literally exist." Clint came up between them as they walked down the halls. He side hugged Natasha as greeting. 

"It is," Yelena said, "It is the end of the world because I won."

"Won what, Yelena?" Natasha snorted. "Most competitive person on the planet?"

"... I don't know. I just know that I am ahead of you." 

"Well I am going to become Homecoming Queen," Natasha promised and twirled around on her feet like royalty. 

"We will see about that," she responded and left them after sticking her tongue out at her.

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Bucky was in her History class, in the next row beside her and two seats away to the front. She kept staring at him like prey, because that was all he was to her. She was going to have him all to herself and together they were going to be the fitting royals of this upcoming prom. 

Or maybe not. Either way, she was only having fun and felt like toying with a boy.

Bucky reached for his water bottle on his table and opened the lid to quench his thirst on such a sunny day.

Someone caught her eye.  
She quickly straightened and her eyes widened.

Loki was arrogantly seated in the empty corner of the class. His legs up and crossed on the table while he was mischievously staring at Bucky. 

She suppressed the urge to yell before he caused chaos.

She looked over at Bucky with distraught and saw that he was struggling with his water. He kept shaking the upended bottle and no water came out. He was in disbelief, he shook the bottle again; then water exploded on his face, drenching his red shirt.

Natasha grabbed her stationary case and threw it over the other side of the class. It hit Loki's head and he looked at her, his sniggers dying. He glared at her. Then winked. She balled her hands to fists.  
His attention devilishly averted back to Bucky and she panicked. She quickly shot up from her seat and shouted at him, "Stop it!"

Loki didn't even vanish, he remained there smugly.

The whole class was staring at her.

She was absolutely embarrassed.

"Miss, Romanov–" the teacher started but she was luckily saved by the bell.

Bucky stood up as the rest of the class swarmed out the exit. He was angry and confused and in disbelief. He took one step, and fell pathetically to the floor. Another trick done by Loki. His shoelaces were tied.

Natasha did not go to the next class. Instead she stormed in the girl's lavatory. She checked all the stalls to find them empty before she locked the room.

She put down her bag and angrily called out his name. And there he appeared before her so gracefully. He was smiling in pleasure.

"What is wrong with you?! I thought you promised last year that you'd stop messing with my friends!"

"He is not your friend," he responded flippantly.

"Well he is someone to me so back off! I'm not feeling your little jealous fits this time!" She stubbornly crossed her arms.

"He is someone to you?" He let out a mocking laugh. "And that is what, exactly?" 

"A boy toy?!" She answered dramatically. "I don't know! Stay away from him!"

"Really?" He sneered. "He is rather hideous looking don't you think?" He childishly added.

"You are trying to ruin everything for me." She irritably poked his chest. He was taller. She had to crane her neck just a little to maintain her glare on him. "When I say back off, you back off."

"Not ruining anything at all. I will make you Queen, it's that easy," he drawled.

"Hey, a boy toy _is_ an empty checkbox right now, Loki," she remarked. She gave him a warning look. "So leave him alone."

"Or what?" He inclined his face close to hers. "I can have my fun with whomever I want."

"Leave him alone," she stated more sternly, taking her bag and shrugged it back on. 

He was visibly displeased.

"Promise?" She sweetened her voice.

"Fine," he bitterly responded. "For you."

"For me. Ha." She shook her head with a tired smile. "You're a jerk." 


	8. Chapter 8

Natasha softly smiled watching a navy blue bird minding it's own business on a branch as Sam Wilson, the other bird-watcher beside her, went on about the bird's species family and facts she didn't care to listen to.

It was after school and she was hanging out with Clint's friends. She had an agenda of her own of coming to join them at the park. It had to be pretty obvious.

Clint and Sam rambled on while she lowered her binoculars more, until her sight reached the two boys near the lake. Specifically Bucky. And her soft smile turned mischievous. She zoomed in on his body, then his ass. "Hm."

"Interesting isn't it?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Very interesting," was Loki's entrance as he blocked her view so all she saw through the binoculars was his chest.

She groaned and put off the binoculars from her eyes.

He smiled innocently at her. "I did not know you were this perverted, Natasha."

She kicked sand at him.

"Nat, you alright?" Clint asked in concern before she shoved the binoculars to his chest.

"I'm going to hang out with your other besties, see what they're up to." She marched away, finally, approaching Steve & Bucky.

She mastered a sweet smile at the two. "Pet store boys. How you doing?"

Bucky chuckled. "Not too bad. Didn't know Clint was a mutual friend."

Steve smiled. "Taking care of your new pet? What'd you name it?"

"I... named it Loki," she said dryly.

"Loki. I like it."

"As he should," Loki drawled. "It is a name to be prideful of."

"Loki is an idiotic name after all so maybe I'll change it," she replied to Steve with a nonchalant smile.

"How dare you?" Loki snapped. "You disrespect me. I question this friendship at times."

" _Good_ ," she bit back. And the sane boys looked at her funny. Loki moved in the corner of her eye and she attempted to ignore him. "Bucky, I want you to take me to the dance."

Bucky's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Oh shit. Really?"

"You two going to prom?" Steve looked between the two.

Bucky stared at her for a long moment with a wince, as he was torn between two choices she knew.

"He does not like you back, clearly," Loki commented in amusement but she ignored his entire being.

Bucky shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry, Nat, but Yelena did ask me first."

Loki was very entertained, walking around them to stop beside Bucky and stared him down, absolutely pleased. "I do love this teenage nonsense."

"No, Natasha," Bucky winced a little. "The answer is no."

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"What kind of Homecoming Queen doesn't have a date? Imagine me being crowned Queen dancing with a King who isn't even my date," Natasha blabbered on as she was balance-walking on the ledge by the park on the way home while Loki walked on the pave.

"Human teenagers never cease to disgust me with their superficial concerns." He stared up at her with a slight grimace. "That includes you."

"You're, like, over a hundred years old so shut up."

He laughed mirthfully. She made a _fair_ point.

She stopped to give him her full attention. "You said you are going to make me Queen. I'm sure no one is going to vote for me anyway. You will make me Queen."

He smirked. "You believe I am part of your imagination, yet you expect me to affect your outside reality?"

"You are going to make me Queen." She lifted her chin, looking at him through squinted eyes. "Those were your words, not mine."

He grinned in slight mischief, stopping close by her legs. "What am I to you, though?"

She turned to resume her balance-walk on the ledge with her arms spread out. "Maybe you are the result of a mental illness."

"Perhaps have that checked?" He humorously suggested.

"What if I lose you?" She gave him a soft look which did something to his heart. She sounded silly though.

He rolled his eyes. "Like I asked, you expect me to affect your outer reality?"

"Maybe I'm the one manifesting everything. You are here to make it seem like you're the one doing the job, making my wishes come true."  
Natasha did not care what the passing strollers thought of her talking to thin air today.

"I'm not real to you," Loki stated firmly, "at all."

She kept her concentration on her balance walking. "You are. You are real to me. But you don't exist in my world." She slipped, lost balance, and let out a shriek in her fall.

Loki caught her effortlessly in his arms. She let out a breath and hugged him, screwing her eyes shut. "Thank you," she whispered.

"How do you think this looks in the real world, then, Natasha?" He challenged.

She broke the hug to frown at him. "What?"

His thin smile stretched. "In your head I am carrying you in my arms. But in real life?"

A little boy on a scooter riding by suddenly screeched his wheels to a sudden stop. He quickly took his helmet off and stared at Natasha with widened eyes. His helmet slipped off his hands.

Natasha was like a deer caught in headlights. But Loki still stared at her in delight, waiting for her response.

The boy was awestruck. "You're- you're in air!"

Natasha gasped and she looked at Loki in shock, their faces mere inches apart.

The scooter boy yelled out for his mother.

"Put me down, Loki," she said in a shaken whisper.

He gently let her down.

The scooter boy's mother finally came too late. The boy explained everything as Natasha rushed away.  
  


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Natasha slouched further down the beach chair that was set up on the rooftop of the apartment building her family lived in, with the lamplight lit up on the small table beside her where her snacks were. She was on the final chapter of her mother's romance novel and she was munching on chocolate coated candy with a hum. She flipped through the next page. "You know what's interesting? Mama is not the most romantic person and neither is papa but this is definitely the sweetest edition she's ever written." She nodded in approval. "Finally Veles has the courage to confess his undying love to Daisy, the feisty London girl. Veles is a dark mischievous Slavic mythical god, by the way. Talk about an interspecies romance, though better than any vampire love story."

Loki turned away from the night cityscape of New York to her.

"But still gross," she added.

"Your mother wrote that?" He was surprised.

She coyly looked at him over the book. "Why? It's actually good."

He simply hummed with his eyebrows creased, then he stepped towards her away from the roof's edge.

"Are we just going to act like nothing happened today?" She finally addressed.

He stopped. "What do you mean?" He acted dumb and that made her glare.

"You were carrying me. The little boy said I was in air. He was pissing his pants. What the hell are you really?" She stared at him suspiciously. "Because I'm sure as hell certain you're not a figment of my imagination, Loki. All that magic and all these years..."

He stared at her darkly. "You still cannot guess?"

"The Norse God of Mischief? That's all I could connect, but that wouldn't make any sense. How could we possibly be friends? Where would— how and—"

"Perhaps your innocent mind does not want to see it that way," he calmly stated.

Her face twisted to genuine confusion. "Am I even asking all the right questions?"

He chuckled, it was cruel and teasing.

"Why is that nobody else can see you but me?"

"Can you dance by the way?"

"Loki—"

"Can you dance or not, Natasha?" He asked more seriously. "This upcoming event is near, am I correct?"

She stared at him in bewilderment.

"I will grant you your wish to have that useless crown placed on your pretty head," he said earnestly, "You can have anything you want from me, Natasha."

She straightened up in her seat. "Obviously I can dance, I'm a ballerina remember? But... I can't dance, like, you know, the way two partners do in a ball." 

"Oh... And I am sure that is problematic," he drawled.

"When you're crowned Queen, a certain dance is expected between you and your partner. First of all, don't have a partner. Second, can't dance to save my life." She sighed, annoyed by him and how he curved her earlier question.

"Interesting. What is this expected dance you speak of?"

She scowled. "You know, a romantic type of dancing. Where the two stare into each others eyes and let their feet take over, and they miraculously don't step on each other's toes."

He looked at her fondly. "Sounds like you to step on someone's toes."

"You exist. Somehow you do exist. It's impossible that you don't," she couldn't hold it in for another time.

He gently smiled at her.

"And I'm not going insane at all," she said. She watched him intently. "That means I can murder you, since you're real."

"No. I'm immortal. Come here," he gestured his hand out to her.

She was reluctant. "Why?"

"I will teach you."

She quirked a brow. "Teach me what? Learn to complete your damn sentence."

"To dance without stepping on one's toes." He stared at her tenderly.

She put her book on the desk and got off the beach chair. "Dancing on the rooftop? Could you be any cheesy than this?"

His smile widened. "No, not on the rooftop." There was a glow in his eyes and now she couldn't resist.

She walked over to him.

Her hand touched his, and he clasped their hands together, pulling her close to him. And the next thing that happened . . .


	9. Chapter 9

She let out a shriek of joy and buried her face to his chest. He chuckled and pushed her hair away when he tilted her head back so he looked at her face. Her face was flushed, her eyes screwed shut and her lips were pursed to suppress the massive smile itching on her face.

"Natasha," he whispered her name gently. "Open your eyes."

She moved her toes in the waters and felt the soft sand caressing under her feet. She bit on her bottom lip as she opened her eyes again to see they were surrounded by a glowing bioluminescence ocean. The sky was covered in blue-green auroras. "Loki..." she breathed his name. Then she gasped when she felt a tickle on her leg. She looked down to see a manta ray swimming peacefully passed her. She squealed and hopped excitedly when it swam away. She giggled, kicking the glowing blue waters.

Loki adoringly stared at her child-like reactions and grazed her cheek with his knuckles.

Natasha was on the verge of tears. She shook her head in amazement. "Where are we?"

"Well I believe," he looked around with a grin, "that we are standing in the middle of the ocean, somewhere in the world, far from civilization." He looked back to her, and wiped a streaming tear from her face with his thumb.

"And, and this is where you want to teach me?" Her voice was shaky.

"Yes. That way you will not forget anything. Because it will be a special memory you will hold for the rest of your life," he said all this while his hand travelled down her arm until he caught her hand. His other hand wound around her waist. He pulled her close as she put her arm around his shoulder.

"This is special, Loki." Her eyes were glowing.

"Follow my footsteps," he commanded.

She nervously nodded. "Okay." She looked down her feet as they began moving. She tried to keep up with him but did step on his toes more than twice in the waters.

He held her chin up. He was smiling. He was patient and caring for her. "Natasha. Keep your eyes on me. Watching your feet will only worsen the rhythm. Do not think," he told her, "just move." He leaned closer so their faces were inches apart. "Be fluid with me."

His eyes were even more gorgeous from the glowing lights around them.

They tried again. Over and over. And every time she stepped on his toes, he remained patient about it. She was motivated to correct her mistakes.   
Until she was graceful.   
Until they danced non-stop without her ruining the rhythm. She didn't even think about the rhythm, too locked in his gentle eyes to care. The waters splashed as they moved even more around. He spun her around, pulled her back to his chest, and hung her over his arm. Her hair dipping in the water. He pulled her back up and grinned widely. "You did it!" He took her in his arms and spun her. She squealed and hugged him dearly, laughing in pure happiness.

"I did it!"

He eventually dropped her. She was grinning ear to ear, unable to stand still and get rid of the giddiness.

He softly smiled at her. "This is a dream of yours, isn't it?"

She stared at him with genuine fondness and lightly shoved his shoulder. "You read my to-do-list. Swimming in a bioluminescence ocean..." Her endearing smile stretched. "But it's even better now. Dancing in a bioluminescence ocean with you. A manta ray just swam passed me. And there is an aurora sky above us!" She covered him tightly in her arms and her squeezing hug had him grinning like a fool. "I love you, Loki!"

Those _three_ _words_ warmed his heart, reminding him of back when they were younger. When she used to tell him she adored him all the time whenever he did these nice things for her.  
Loki squeezed her back, sharing the same deep affection he had for her as well. She made him happy and he could not ask for anything more.

"Thank you!" She broke the hug to look at him. "Thank you so much." She held his cheek and leaned up to kiss his forehead. And he almost melted when she kissed his other cheek next.

She lowered back to her heels and patted his shoulder. "You are my only best friend in the entire world, universe," she confessed, all teary-eyed, "and I appreciate every second with you. Even when you are being an asshole."

He chuckled, his own eyes carrying a weight in them. He sighed, lacing their fingers together when their hands were intimately touching. He didn't take his eyes off her. "I adore you. Natasha."

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"Aww, _moy sladkiy_. Baby. You don't have a date yet?" Her mother pouted at her, rubbing her hand on the dinner table.

Natasha shrugged sadly. "Guess I'm going alone."

Her father quickly jumped in, "No, no. I can be your date. All shall be fine."

She laughed. "Papa, the event is only meant for the people who go to the school. No one outside from the school will be allowed to enter the tent."

"Dammit. I was thinking of calling your cousin from Moscow to come and be your date." Her mother exhaled.

"It's alright, mama." She poked her fork mindlessly on her baked fished and veg dish.

"Why don't you take Clint? He is a good boy that one. I don't dislike him," her father spoke with his mouth full. He finished chewing and then sipped his beer.

Natasha put her chin in her palm. She hummed. Then, she thought of another blonde. A very handsome one, in fact. She smiled as her mind light bulb lit. "No, papa. No, no. Not Clint."

"Then who?" Her mother asked.

"I have a date, actually." She waggled her eyebrows.

"You didn't have a date but now you have date. I am confused." Her father frowned. "And a date that is not Clint? I will definitely give this boy a tough time."

"Sevastyan!" Her mother shoved his shoulder and he laughed.

"Papa, do not be that way." Natasha giggled. "Be glad your daughter is not going to prom alone now. Turns out I have back-up."

"Well, I cannot wait to see who your date is, Natasha," her mother said.  
  
  


Natasha watched her tarantula spider named Loki eat up the bug she let in the glass cage. "My little one, hungry and vicious as hell."

She sighed and sat down on the chair, watching her pet eating it's dinner. "If Steve didn't exist, you'd totally be my prom date by the way... Maybe in another world, Loki is my prom date..." she thought out loud.

She took a shower and eventually slipped in bed after turning off the lights. She was dressed in her black summer pyjamas, still decided against using the blankets. It was a hot night.

She was unflinching when she felt Loki on her bed when she laid. She just rested her head on his shoulder, carelessly throwing her arm over him. "Give me sweet dreams, Loki," she told him, closing her eyes as sleep was coming fast to her.

He stroke her hair. "Your wish is my command, Natasha," he whispered.

She slept with a faint smile on her face.

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She let out an irritated sigh when she didn't get her leap right after the simple rotation, for the third time. Only two students out of the fifteen in the class had done the dance move flawlessly and she wasn't one of them this time. She was on the floor in a devastating moment as she'd broken into a fall after her _fourth_ try now, and her eyes were stinging.

"Natasha, get up. You're no different from the rest," the instructor sharply spoke with a drop of disappointment in her voice. "Let's move on now, otherwise we are never going to complete anything today."

She sucked her tears back and got up, walking back to the circle. She made eye contact with Yelena who caught her hand and held it gently. The blonde gave her an encouraging smile. They were both on the same boat.

"It's okay. Don't beat yourself up too much, Natasha," she told her after the miserable practice.

Natasha looked at her solemnly after wiping sweat with the towel. "Really? And you don't do the same?"

Yelena shrugged, a little somber. "It gets tiring."

"Well. You will still be acceptable to any dance school, you're good. I mean, you are meant to win, right?

Yelena shook her head with a laugh. "I don't think I can make you understand how incredible _you_ are."

Natasha cocked her head at her and scoffed. "... It's the Washington Ballet... That's the school I'm going to."

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Natasha gracefully twirled around in her emerald halter ball gown, having gotten rid of her sneakers to be forced in silver pointed-toe pumps high heels. She examined her reflection, putting her hands on her hips. Her silky straight red hair was fastened in a high bun. She thought her mother did a good job on the make-up. It was subtle. She didn't look that different, just slightly prettier.

"Natasha!" Her mother called for her.

She slowly exhaled.

"Your date is here, Natasha! Come down!"

Her breath hitched.

Tonight was the night. This had to get her off some steam and stress concerning ballet. She made sure to discard all those thoughts and actually relax. Have _fun_.

After feeding her spider, Loki, dead bugs for dinner, she rushed out her bedroom.

She found her father giving Steve, her _date_ , a tight handshake by the door there and she was feeling for him.

"I promise I will look after her," Steve assured with a tight smile, trying to escape the grip.

"Good. And make sure you get her home safely," her mother said and they paused hearing Natasha's heels clicking on the floorboard.

Steve saw her and a smile fell on his face.

"My beautiful baby girl!" Her father quickly gave her a hug, a little emotional. She nervously laughed. "Growing up so fast. You are..." He looked down at her appearance and gently held her face. "You have become a woman now."

Her mother pecked her forehead before leading her to her date.

"Steve. You actually came."

"Yeah. I'm glad I did."

Her smile widened into a grin.

"You are beautiful, Natasha."

"Thank you." She visibly blushed.   
  
  
  


The tent was already filled and the place was lit up in dim blue lights. Natasha left Steve to go to the snack table and munched for a little while until she was discovered by Yelena and Bucky. She licked chocolate off her fingers and groaned at his presence.

"Natasha, I wanted to show him off for a second," Yelena lightly began.

"Yelena, I'm not an object," Bucky playfully told her and she kissed his cheek.

Natasha cringed. "How repulsive."

"Jealous?" Yelena raised an eyebrow.

"Come on. I don't believe in sharing saliva," Natasha smoothly retorted and was relieved that Steve came to her side. He greeted them.

"You two look like you're meant for each other," Bucky said. "Side by side. Pretty couple."

Steve chuckled. "Well..."

"Excuse us." Natasha pulled him away and they went to the dancefloor as the music changed to something upbeat.

"Can't dance," Steve admitted.

"Make a plan," she charismatically replied before going into dance.

He only moved his head to the beat and she laughed. He shook his head with an embarrassed grin. Then asked, "You think I'll win tonight?"

"You and Bucky are the popular pretty boys. But, do you care to?" She asked lightheartedly.

"All I seem to care about right now is my date, actually, " he told her and pulled her all to himself.

Natasha gladly allowed him. "As you _should_."

The social event was getting super boring to her a little while after, but Steve was great company. He was far from dull despite the fact that her social-battery was draining. They were the only few who sat at the back tables talking about nothing and everything. He could not stop smiling at her as she talked.

Natasha shook her head as she lastly added to her passionate explanation, "But I don't know, maybe we identify with our experiences more than what we have now."

"Sounds to me you need to write a philosophical book."

She shook her head, though a little flattered. "No... no."

"Come on, why not?" He stared at her attentively. "I would read it. I would buy as many copies I can for my family to read too."

She giggled. "I don't see it. Maybe writing a book of quotes or something else, yes."

He chuckled. "I'd pay to read that too."

She hid her smile by looking away.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when the person on stage holding the microphone called for everyone's attention.

"Finally, they're announcing the King and Queen." Natasha nudged him. "Yelena and I made a bet. If she gets crowned, I pay her a hundred bucks and vice versa."

They both stood up to come closer to the crowd to hear the teacher on stage announce the winners. But the woman was too busy trying to get people to quiet down. "I will read the winners if you all keep your mouths shut."

The crowd's volume lowered and the young teacher huffed in annoyance. "Thank you. Now I can read out the names."

"Watch me win, Steve." Natasha cocked her head, waiting for her name to be read out loud now. The crowd was agitated by the added seconds to the silence, until finally, "Our Homecoming King for the Senior Dance of this year is Steve Rogers and our Homecoming Queen is Natasha Romanov! Winners, come get your crowns! Come on stage!"

No surprise there. She didn't shield her calm exterior with a fitting emotion for this moment. She didn't care to. Steve was happy and polite about his crowning compared to her.

_Queen Natasha Romanov._

That was well deserved. A title to carry throughout her life. She was the Queen of everything so this was meant to be.

Now, the Homecoming royals were expected to have their slow dance.

Just like she had practiced, she took in a sharp inhale and put her arm around Steve's shoulder with her other hand in his. The music cued in, and their dance began.

She was sure of her steps. She didn't once look down at her feet, keeping her eyes on Steve. They danced around the floor, their movements in sync. It was like she was with Loki in the middle of the ocean again, and instead of Steve's eyes, she imagined herself staring into Loki's. She imagined it was Loki that she was dancing with. She imagined Loki was her date, and that he was her King and she was his Queen. It made the dance much more magical. She wished Loki was with her, right now. And as if the universe read her mind, she saw him from afar, standing by the empty entrance of the tent. Watching her with a genuine grin on his face. He was adorned in a new suit, wearing a neat dark green buttoned jacket. He was in peace that she was in content after her winning.  
She grinned when he waved his fingers at her.

She continued dancing with Steve, twirling around and around until he caught her back to him. She looked over his shoulder again but didn't find Loki by the entrance any more. She frowned.  
  
  
  
  


Loki was striding out into the field, staring up the dark sky coated with bright stars and a full moon. He deeply inhaled with his eyes shut, taking in the fresh earthly air and it's coolness.

"Hey!"

His eyes opened. And he turned around to her. She was beautiful. His black brows drew together as she approached him. "Don't you have a date to entertain?" He remarked when she stopped close to him.

"I don't care," she told him with a small smirk on her face.

He shook his head at her fondly.

"Do you like the crown?" She asked, touching the plastic jewel sitting on her head.

His face hilariously twisted. "That is the ugliest crown I've ever seen."

She laughed.

"But you got what you wished for." He winked.

She nodded happily. "Yeah. Whatever you did, thank you, Loki."

He bowed his head. "You're welcome." He turned around, like he was walking away.

She quicky caught his arm and made him turn back around. "Dance with me."

He stared at her tenderly, and their fingers intertwined. She pulled him and led him away.  
She put both arms around his shoulders and he put his hands around her waist. They danced along the music from the tent.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest as they slowly moved. She couldn't feel more secure in his arms. She felt like the world outside was made from plastic, and he was the only real jewel to exist in this plane of nothingness. She embraced him in the dance, hugging her entire world to herself. She didn't think to begin to describe her overwhelming feelings for him, all she could make out was that she loved him dearly.

She felt like she was floating, feeling euphoric and emotional.

Floating.

Weightless.

No gravity. Just floating.

 _Floating_.

Her feet felt in the air, not touching any surface beneath her.   
There was an unnatural feeling around her body and eventually lifted her head from his shoulder to notice that she _was_ indeed floating.

She gasped once she looked down.

They were dancing in the air, so close to the sky but far. She tugged him close and held onto him, burying her head in his neck. Loki let out a laugh. "I won't ever let you go," he assured softly. He touched her face and tilted it to him, staring into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

She gulped. "Always."

He leaned in to kiss her forehead, before he slanted close to her ear to tell her, "Trust that I will be with you, for real, one day."

He was getting them back to the ground.

She was not sure what to make of his words. "Are— are you telling me the truth?" She felt her heels touch the grass again.

Loki nodded, stepping back from their embrace. Their hands fell back to their sides. She shook her head, "Loki—" and he disappeared. She was stunned. Did he just vanish on her like that?

She let out an irritated exhale.

"Natasha?"

She spun around, flustered as she was.

"I was looking for you," Steve said in concern, stopping an arm's length from her, "You alright? You scared me for a second."

She mastered a smile and hooked her arm around his so they took a stroll the other way. "I'm fine, I just needed to breathe."

"You wanna ditch?"

She looked at him in surprise. "You don't mind?"

He shrugged. "Well, I am bored."

She immediately nodded excitedly. "Let's ditch! Anywhere but here please."

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_"Have you said your goodbye to your mortal friend, Prince Loki?" Heimdall's broad voice filled the bifrost chamber room, he was mocking him, his eerie amber eyes staring into space as a smile curled on his lips._

_The young Prince was seething, his face set in an ugly scowl. There was nothing much he could do. He contained the rage. He was, after all, lying to his King to save Loki's neck._

_His blonde older brother stepped forward, giving him a serious stare. "Loki, you are lucky Heimdall is not telling Father any of this. The troubles that would erupt if he knew of your wanderings on Midgard, the fact that you have been making contact with humans—"_

_"Believe me, I am aware of the consequences," Loki snarled, "I shall cooperate as long as I get a promise from the both of you that you will never touch a single red strand on her head."_

_"We promise, brother, for the last time!" Thor snapped. "You must be reminded of your duties as a Prince," he spoke gravely, "No more flights, Loki. No more disappearances. More serious matters arise and it has been finally time that you ditched the mortal girl forever."_


	10. Chapter 10

—

—

—

—

"I didn't know it was your birthday. That means you're a Scorpio. And I fucking hate Scorpios. Can't trust them."

A dry breath of laughter left her lips as she laid her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes. "I'm a Sagittarius," she said calmly, as bad her mood was, "or, well, maybe both."

"Bullshit. You can't be both," the middle aged woman she shared the hospital room with continued, "It's one or the other."

"I don't believe in star signs, lady." Natasha jutt her jaw as she seethed.

"What a Sagittarius thing to say," she scoffed and Natasha almost flipped her off. "So how old are you?"

"Twenty seven," she answered in a strained voice.

"Hmm. Still young. What happened to you?" She asked pointing at her leg traction and the cuts & wounds around her face. "Looks pretty nasty."

"I got into a fucking car accident and my career has now ended, lady! Will you now give up?!" Natasha bursted & clenched her fists as tears stung in her eyes.

"I‐ I didn't know, I'm sorry—"

"No you're not, you don't know me," she spat and took a deep breath in when her mother finally came in.

"Hello, moya lyubov'," her mother's concerned voice did not ease her. She stroke her hair and pecked her forehead.

She was scowling, her form trembling in fury.

"Hey." Her mother held chin and made her look at her. She saw the rage and devastation in her eyes. Ballet was all she wanted to do but now her entire life took a tragic turn. Her mother wiped her tears for her and kissed her head again. "Steve is getting my coffee right now, he will be right over."

Natasha turned her head the other way looking out the window. It was sunny outside. There was lots of green. Lots of trees. Her face crumbled and she looked back at her injured leg hanging on the traction. She couldn't believe what her life was now. More tears spilled and she quickly wiped them away.

Her mother slipped out a thick book from her handbag and gestured it to her. "Look, milli moi. I brought you something. Thought you might like."

She did not look her way once as she laid the book on her lap. She sniffled and touched the hardcover. It was titled, 'Penguin book of the Norse myths' [by Kevin Crossley-Holland].

"Happy belated birthday." Her mother rubbed her shoulder. "I know your love for Scandinavian mythologies. This was published before you were even born. It retells all the stories of Thor, Loki –" She barely finished her sentence when her daughter chucked the book to the floor.

"Natasha!" She dropped her jaw as her daughter petulantly crossed her arms and looked out the window beside her.

Steve had paused by the entrance in slight distraught. "Everything alright in here?" He bent down to pick up the book and laid it on the bedside table after giving Natasha's mother the cup of coffee. He sat on the bed and put his hand over Natasha's. But she was quick to slip her hand away.

Her mother shook her head hopelessly.

Steve stared at Natasha sadly and took her hand again to kiss the back of her palm. Tears spilled from her eyes and the sight broke his heart. She was the greatest dancer in his eyes, the loveliest, and she didn't deserve this.  
"You won't have to be alone. Together we could push through this, Natasha."

She took her hand out of his gentle hold. "I _am_ alone, Steve. I'm the only one going through this." Looking into Steve's blue eyes, it took her back to a much lighthearted time of her life. Dancing, feeling free-spirited and living stress-free, dreaming big and bold, _high school_... Loki. It was a total contrast to her life now. Loss was the theme of this new phase. Loss, tragedy, change. The end of her world.

She ripped her gaze from Steve's. He was an army soldier but he was still very youthful. She always drowned back to her innocent years whenever she looked at him.

He nodded slowly, not responding to her statement because she was right. He didn't know what she was going through. He took out a long box from his jacket's pocket and said, "This was meant for your birthday. I was meant to give it to you last evening but you told me to screw off and closed the door on me." He let out a chuckle. It was a jewel box with a definite expensive necklace inside. She looked at him in surprise. He placed it on top of the book her mother gifted.

"Thank you." She gave him another weak smile.  
  


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"Come, Natasha, come," her mother ushered her as she struggled a couple of steps with the crutches. It had been a few weeks in the hospital and she was being discharged. She was already annoyed by her mother's touching and even more bothered by the outfit she brought her to wear. An old fashioned polka dot mini dress with black pumps. All cute and dark green. The colour was a slight insult from the universe. It reminded her of Loki and she was already emotional as it was.

"Mama, stop it," she quietly snapped on the way down the passageway. She could walk on the crutches fine now. She didn't need her mother to be all touchy and... motherly. "I'm not a baby."

Her mother rolled her eyes but did not go against her wishes, letting her walk on her own.  
  
  


On the way outside, where fresh air was promised and the scent of hospital did not torment her nose, Natasha let out a heavy breath and looked up the cloudy sky.

"Come on. I'm taking you to my place. Follow me to my car," her mother told her as she passed her to the parking to lot.

Natasha pouted, her eyes pleading to the sky. She whispered, and maybe he could hear her, "I just... wish you were here."


	11. Chapter 11

His graceful walk was on purpose, his elegant motions sparking even more anger from the Warriors who stood before the throne area scowling as he arrogantly sat on the throne seat with the Gungnir staff in his grip. He leaned back in the golden royal seat and his face set in a stern look as he pinned the glaring Asgardians with a cruel look. "I don't suppose you want treats for following simple orders," he started sarcastically.

"With all due respect... _my King_ ," those words came out of Sif's mouth in poorly hidden disgust, "but is it not a good idea to alert your brother of your father falling into Odin's Sleep?"

"And is it not a bad idea for you to share your unwanted thoughts with me?" Loki coldly bit.

"But you can bring him back, Loki," she attempted again.

"For what?" His voice raised in the room. He gripped the golden Gungnir tight out of vexation. "So Thor can have the throne to himself? _I_ am King now."

"It is best to think beyond you, Loki," Fandral spoke wisely.

"I agree," Volstagg added with slight wariness.

Hogun merely glowered at Loki.

Loki's exterior darkened but he was cool as he informed them, "Thor's punishment will proceed. He will learn from his impudence and arrogance. It is a punishment I do not wish to touch upon as it wasn't mine to cast but Father's."

Sif stepped forward fiercely. "He cannot live on Midgard forever. This banishment shall end once he lifts Mjolnir, and he _will_."

Loki scowled. "Careful. You sound like you care too much about the dolt."

Fandral exhaled. " _Loki_ -"

"I suggest you all give me respect as your new King. There is a lack of it. I am the beacon of hope and light for this kingdom. You will not speak to me so casually, or tell me what to do. I am above you," he frigidly expressed.

They muted, as he liked. One more word from one of them and he was going to blast them with Gungnir. He had killed for this throne, for his rightful crowning. And Sif was right. If Thor lifted that hammer . . .  
 _Worst case scenario._   
He rudely dismissed them. Feeling a bubble of anger.   
  
  
  
  
  


Loki slipped his horns helmet off when he walked in his giant sleeping chamber. His mouth pulled to a frown seeing the exquisite blonde goddess lounged on his silky bed sheets. She lazily lifted herself and her pretty curls hung perfectly over her light blue eyes. "If it isn't it the new ruler of Asgard. King Loki." Her eyes were seductive and they dilated when he came over to sit on his bed.

"Don't you have better things to do?" He retorted.   
His mind worked in gears as he sat in thought. He needed to keep Thor away from Asgard for now. Perhaps he should lock him in a dungeon, like he did to his mother after she discovered his ulterior motives.

Sigyn loosely wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She was so childish and disruptive. "You're so mean, Loki," she whined, "You have turned the palace upside down so now I only have you for entertainment." She trailed kisses on his defined jawline and he took a inhale of irritation, his attempt at scheming coming to a pause because of her.

He was quite insulted by her words, though. He was a very busy man and had great things to execute, not please an off-&-on lover. He stood up and escaped her unwanted affection. "I'm not going to entertain the advances of a dunce who doesn't know when to give someone else space when needed. Do you not have hobbies of your own to practice?" He unclasped a layer from his armour and dropped it on the carpet, unbothered by her teary big eyes.

"You break my heart," she whispered, an immediate tear streaming down her cheek. He made a disgusted face by her quick sadness and rolled his eyes. She wiped the few tears away and shook her head. "You promised to marry me."

His face now contorted in offense. "Do not get it twisted, darling. I was obliged to marry you but I no longer see you fit in any of my plans. I do not need a Queen. Or, perhaps, you are simply not cut for that." He stripped to his underwear clothing and walked to his shower room.  
  
  


The water in the showers rained down on him in a fast heavy pour. He hung his head back after clawing back his long dark hair and let out a relaxed sigh. It was freezing water, a much more favourable way to shower and a way to keep Sigyn away.

He didn't need a Queen. But if he did, he wouldn't pick her in his lifetime.

He closed his eyes after all the soap washed away.   
And he thought of red. He saw red. Lots, and lots of red. And green eyes, too, glistening when they looked into his own. And a smile that took one's breath away. His heart skipped a beat by the imagery of the redhead.

He opened his eyes when he thought of Midgard. His brother was banished there, in same world as _her_.   
Perhaps he can kill two birds with one stone, after all.  
  
  


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Her eyes flew open. And a breath of sudden sadness left her lips. A small tear streamed over her face.

She took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. And she lifted off the bed. One look at her foot cast, and her heart squeezed painfully.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Natasha."

She turned away from the sink after wiping clean the last dish. She took her crutches and headed to the living room where her mother was seated watching the Russian news channel. They were reporting about some phenomenon that took place four days ago in New Mexico. An unknown drop on the Earth left an enormous hole and there was a strange looking hammer left that could not be moved. The hammer was the drop on the Earth, the reporter suggested. They were still trying to figure out what the cause of all of this was.

Natasha frowned in intrigue.

"What do you think about this huh? Aliens?"

She shook her head. "No, mama. Aliens don't exist."

The older woman scoffed. "Oh please. You sound like your father. He would say the same stupid answer. This seems offworldly, Natasha."

"Papa wouldn't say the same answer because he is dead," Natasha said icily. Her mother's face fell and now she realized how insensitive she sounded. "But the media is definitely hiding something," she quickly changed her tone.

Her mother let her cruel comment slide. "They do that all the time."

Natasha looked at her for a long silent moment, a little anxious by her possible answer to a question she was about to ask. "Mama I love this house and I love your company and everything. I do." She did. This was a very decent house in a middle-class neighbourhood. Her mother's recent books were selling and she afforded a better life for herself now. If only her husband didn't die six years ago from a heart attack, he would be there sharing her happiness with her.

"What is it, Natasha? I know you want something judging from your tone."

Her daughter held her head high. "I'm going back to Sviyazhsk... Is that alright?"

Her mother looked back at her in surprise. "But... your injuries."

"I'm fine," she quickly brushed off.

"Natasha, you're hurting-"

"That is why I want to leave," she urged, "To feel whole again." She sadly smiled. "My injuries need to heal, I _know_ that... But I want to go back home for a while. I want to reconnect to my roots."

The older redhead's face softened and she gently smiled. "You know that Aunt Tatiana lives there with your cousins now."

Natasha nodded.

"But I'll call her. It's alright. She will take care of you."


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you sure you don't want any help, dear? The bed, will it be comfortable enough?" 

Natasha's heart wrenched as a wave of nostalgia came through her when she limped through the living room again, looking at the kitchen, where her mother used to sit and write on the typewriter. The cabin hadn't changed much. And neither did the yards. 

She inhaled the petrichor air standing on the porch. She was never going to be pure again but she felt perfectly weightless. She hummed and turned to Tatiana & her cousins who stared back at her doe eyed. "I'll be alright, aunt. Thank you. Really." She gave them a warm smile and then ruffled her older cousin's hair. "Dorian, look at you! You've grown, a little too much." 

Dorian scoffed. "Come on, Natasha, I'm barely a year younger than you."

She snorted and looked to her other small cousin who was intrigued by her. He looked no older than eight. "I don't think we've ever met. I'm Natasha."

Tatiana laughed. "Oh he knows who you are. He claims the family albums all to himself and he loves your young lively pictures... He admires you."

She looked at the little boy again who blushed. His innocence warmed her heart. "Is that so?" 

He shyly nodded in response 

"Adrik doesn't talk much," his mother quickly spoke for him, "but he is a sweet boy."

His small hand took Natasha's. He surprised her by his gesture and she looked to Tatiana who giggled as he started leading her back in the cabin to take her upstairs.   
  
  
  


Adrik ran in the bedroom which used to be hers. It was painted blue and the roof had hanging stars & a moon.   
She watched him reach for the photo album from the small shelf and he jumped on the bed like a little warrior. 

She sat on his bed next to him as he opened the photo album. He started flipping through pictures of family relatives and his face lit up at her pictures. Natasha let out a hearty laugh at a picture where her curls looked bushy and her front teeth weren't present.

He stopped on something particular. It was a drawing. She inclined her head and her eyebrows raised.

His finger traced the drawing and he looked to her, as if asking if the crayon drawing was hers.

It was a childish drawing of Loki. 

She remembered this.

Natasha took the album onto her lap and stared at the funny drawing with fondness. His name written in large untidy letters at the bottom. She scoffed. Then her eyes shot up when Adrik ran to the door and waited for her. She arched an eyebrow at the energetic little boy and closed the album. "What is it now, little man? You're not planning to drag me around this place all day are you?" She stood up. "Because that is exactly what I need right now." She grinned by his hand gestures towards her. She took his hand.   
  
  
  
  


Natasha let out a shaky breath staring at the long grass & the shuffling trees ahead. "It's still so beautiful, Adrik."

He was hopping around her as she walked.

She cracked a large smile. "Don't you and Dorian hang around here and just relax?"

He stopped in front of her and nodded hard.

She let him pull her hand as they walked for a distant. 

"Just where are you taking me, Adrik?" 

They stopped by a tree. She huffed and their hands dropped from linkage. She looked up the top of the tree in a little trance, taken back to where she remembered Loki first appeared. She was feeling very sentimental.

She gave Adrik her attention again and limped over to him. Her eyes drew on the drawn carvings on the trunk. It was a heart, and inside was the name _Loki_. Natasha touched the carvings. "He was someone very important to me." 

He cocked his head like a bird and she smiled with a shake of her head. 

She confessed, "I loved him. If that's what you're wondering."

Now, he grinned.

"That's what you wanted to hear? If he was the love of my life?" She shook her head fondly. "He was my best friend." She remembered prom, their last dance together before his sudden disappearance. She frowned.   
  
  
  
  


They sat by the porch and watched the sundown. They bonded in the forest. She told him stories. Of her and Loki. Stories that Loki used to tell her. She didn't tell him the ending, that he left and never came back.

The stories made Adrik happy. And that filled her with content. 

He shifted close to her and he lifted her arm so she laid it around his shoulder. Her smile widened and she kissed the boy's head. She then added quietly, "My mother was nuts though. She actually believed Loki was my imaginary friend."

Adrik laughed. A sound that surprised her but warmed her heart a lot. She giggled and squeezed him to her affectionately.  
  


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"I'm glad you decided to come, Natasha. So you can see how much Sviyazhsk has developed," Tatiana said as she drove the big van to town to buy groceries for dinner. 

"I've seen some new roads and stores around when I was taken from the airport actually," Natasha said from the backseat where Adrik sat next to her. "It hasn't changed much in my opinion. There's still a lot of nature."

"Nature gets underappreciated here, Natasha, but only gets missed when you live away from it."  
  


"How are the cities there though?" Dorian asked. "In the American cities?"

"The air isn't the same. The cities aren't peaceful. You are not missing out on anything," Natasha drawled, "trust me, cousin." 

He chuckled. "Alright. I'll take your word for it."

She looked out the window. The moonlight lit up the mountains just perfectly. Every one of those mountains she had been on with Loki. She told Adrik all of that. She nudged him and pointed to the mountains from her side of the window. He leaned over her lap and stared at them with deep interest, as he dreamt to climb them one day. Maybe he was like her, maybe he thought they were the closest thing to heaven.   
  
  
  
  


The town surprised Natasha.   
She closed the car door and looked at the pretty expensive shops around. There were people still walking around by this time from shop to shop. And then the big Sviyazhsk Mall. She shook her head, impressed.

"You didn't expect this huh?" Dorian smiled. 

Natasha shook her head. "No offense."

Tatiana let out a sigh of relief after checking the cash in her handbag. "Alright let's go, guys. Some stores are going to close soon." 

They started walking off and Natasha did not make it another step further when Adrik grasped her hand. She looked at him. "What's wrong? You don't want to go with them?"

He shook his head no.

"Aunt Tatiana!" She called and they turned. "He wants to stay, so, I'll take care of him."

They didn't mind.  
  


Natasha leaned against the van, shoving her hands in her pockets, and looked down at the little boy who copied her movements. Shoving his own little hands in his hoodie's pockets and leaning back.

She took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. "Man, this night is beautiful, isn't it, Adrik?" She hung her head back. "Just gonna look at the stars and moon."

He followed her gesture, and started counting the stars under his breath.

"Aww you're not gonna be able to count all of them, baby," she teased, then her lightheartedness turned to genuine concern fast. She straightened off the van. Her face fell in alarm when she saw a huge flicker of light shooting downwards from the dark sky. Like a star was falling. "Ad- Adrik do you see tha—" The air around them felt foreign, the gravity becoming unnatural when their bodies lifted lightly from the ground. She gasped and grasped the boy to her.

A beam of light shot down in the vacated side of the parking lot and the sound effect of that was _offworldly,_ like a silent space explosion.

Their feet suddenly touched the ground again. She lost her breath and couldn't tell if she was dreaming. She panted in slight panic.

People were running and screaming. But she couldn't move, and neither could Adrik. All they could do was stare standing like deers caught in headlights.

There was a man who was the result of the unbelievable phenomenon that took place in her very own eyes. A man who stood tall and bold. In green and gold armour. In a green cape that was brushed by the wind. 

Natasha's jaw slackened and she almost fainted right then. She shakily gasped, and couldn't register the tears already gathering in her eyes. She felt sick to her stomach and her head pricked painfully.

Adrik tugged at her hand, the boy was not in shock as she was. He knew who that man was. He just wanted confirmation, but didn't get a response as Natasha was awestruck.

There was a magnetic field. It was like there _was_ a magnetic field.

It was like she was a magnet to him. 

Her legs carrying her away to him against her own will.

Her breathing was uneven, as scared and hopeful as she was. She gulped when it became clear. And tears raced down her face.

He moved.

And she stopped, as did her heart for a moment.

He was walking over to her, now. And she could not move, her feet glued to the ground.

" _Natasha_ ," he breathed her name once he was in close proximity with her. His beautiful eyes desperately drinking in the sight of her. He was a fully grown man now. His voice much different from the last time she heard it, his build much broader than the last time she saw. After so much time, a lot had changed with them and they were yet to discover that.

" _Loki_ ," she mumbled his name.

A tender smile pulled on his lips.

She let out a cry-laugh and her grin was bright, contagious. She couldn't hold anything back now. She jumped him with a clutching hug that had him joyfully laughing. "I can't believe it's you, Loki..."

His arms secured around her, squeezing her a little to him in the warm embrace. He deeply inhaled through his nostrils and kissed her head. "Did you think I was never coming back?"

She lightly broke the hug to look up at him and she held his face in her hands just to feel him. Just to make sure this wasn't a dream. His face was soft. She was convinced this was a dream, though. "I went... through a terrible thing," she answered as she rubbed his cheek. 

He curled her hair behind her ear for her and caressed her face, seeing bruises and healed wounds. His eyes coolly narrowed. "Who hurt you? Tell me."

"No one," she quickly said, leaning up to give his forehead a lingering kiss and he closed his eyes in the sacred moment. She lowered back down and they stared into each other's eyes. Seeing so much in each other and also so little, a lot more to discover and catch up on. But it felt like time hadn't passed between them. Neither did the looks of love and care that they gave each other.

He touched her chin and tilted her face up closer to his. "I came back for you, really. Tell me, Natasha, can you be mine again?"  
  


**End.**


End file.
